Soldier shot `because he was ten minutes late’

EIGHTEEN-year-old National Guardsman Nicos Nicolaou was remanded by a military court yesterday on suspicion of shooting a fellow-soldier at his camp on Sunday.

The victim of the attack, 19-year-old Kyriacos Papetas, was in a critical but steady condition in Nicosia General hospital yesterday after undergoing emergency surgery for three bullet wounds.

The military court, sitting in Limassol, heard that Nicolaou shot Papetas three times from close range after he turned up ten minutes late to replace him on guard duty. The incident occurred at just after 2pm at the Kornos camp in the Nicosia district.

CID officer Aristides Chapouras, in charge of the investigation, said Nicolaou, from Larnaca, had been on guard duty between midday and 2pm. At ten past two, Papetas left the camp barracks accompanied by a corporal to replace Nicolaou, Chapouras said.

When Papetas got to the guard post, Nicolaou was nowhere to be seen, the court heard. The corporal called out for Nicolaou who then appeared from behind some nearby crates with his gun levelled at Papetas, Chapouras said.

Nicolaou then demanded to know from Papetas why he was late to replace him, the court heard. Papetas apparently noticed Nicolaou’s gun was loaded and asked him why.

Nicolaou then shot Papetas three times from a range of about 10 metres, hitting him in both knees and the shoulder, the court heard.

Papetas was rushed to Nicosia General hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

Nicolaou was remanded for eight days on suspicion of attempting to murder his fellow-soldier.

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